PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY SPECIFIC FORTRYPANOSOMA-SIMIAE

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) were produced against invariant antigens of vector forms of Trypanosoma simiae. X63/AG8.653, NSI/1AG401 and Sp2 0Ag14 myeloma cells were fused with splenic lypmphocytes from BALB/c m ice that had been immunized with various preparations of T. simiae pro cyclics. A T. simiae-specific MoAb [KNS7/14.X (IgG(1))] was detected i n the hybridoma culture supernatants, which were screened for antibody activity by micro-plate and dot ELISA. Immunofluorescence studies sho wed that KNS7/14.X stained cytoplasmic antigens in T. simiae procyclic s. Proteinase-K digestion and periodate oxidation studies revealed tha t KNS7/14.X binds to a carbohydrate antigenic determinant in glycoprot ein or glycolipid. Cross-reactivity studies using vector forms of T. b rucei, T. vivax, T. congolense, T. simiae and T.grayi showed that KNS7 /14.X only reacted with T. simiae. Attempts to generate other T. simia e-specific MoAb, using 107-, 75- or 41.7-43.6-kDa peptides selected by western blotting analysis, did not yield positive results.